Starboard iSonic 122 Wood, German Surf (Germany), Apr 2008

On land: For a long time Starboard was the precursor in terms of developing wide shapes. The "box-shaped" design literally follows the motto "form follows function". The aesthetic aspect seemed to be less important, but by now, we getting used to the look. "Wide and flat" seems to dominate nowadays. At the 2008 model, Tiesda You and his design team created on the upper deck, around the mast track, a deep drawn concave. The rail edges got less "tuck-under" and theres more curvature in the tail outline: the planning area got wider, but the maximum width stayed the same compared to 2007.

On the water: The Starboard shape lives up to its extravagant image on the water. In strong wind conditions and choppy water surface the iSonic 122 can not be beaten. The control - especially fully powered up - is great to an extraordinary extent. The board keeps its wide, flat nose always down and the shape is begging for more and more pressure from its rider. The board tolerates extremely big fin sizes and needs a big sail size to get into a free planing position. Its definitely a benefit if you should head upwind while sailing too. The iSonic 122 follows its route like a windsurfer on autopilot. The board shape needs a lot of sail power so if the wind drops the board displays a little bad habit, which will not be enjoyed so much by the hobby-windsurfer. The board prefers to sail upwind. It needs more effort to get it downwind, then with proper power in the sail and on the fin the board hangs perfectly trimmed and with a neutral position on your feet. With this trim, the board offers all the requirements needed to win a race and with a great control. Not only that, but at the jibe mark the iSonic 122 can gain some meters too. It doesnt really matter how rough the conditions are. The board always finds itself into a stable position on the edge and carves into a self-adjusting turn. It can be pressed into narrow turns surprisingly well too, where it keeps a lot of speed to give an advantage coming out of the jibe and into the next reach.

Conclusion: The slalom board with the best control and the best top speed.